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TJ Koyen
Joined: 03 Oct 2004
Posts: 1425
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 Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Roger Beck wrote: | | TJ Koyen wrote: |
If you don't like the 500, don't watch? |
No, I don't think I will. I tried this year, first time in many years. Actually, there is a part of me that actually wants to be able to enjoy an oval race like I did as a kid (70s!). My father has always been a big NASCAR and Indy fan, and we watched them all the time when I was growing up. Went out to our local 1/4 mile oval on weekends and watched the races. Very fond memories. But once I started driving cars myself on road circuits, ovals just lost their appeal, for me. Once in a while, when my parents come to visit, we'll put on a NASCAR race for my dad. I just can't get interested. It's like watching golf. Sorry. |
I grew up watching dirt midgets and sprint cars and NASCAR too, didn't really get into F1 until '05 or '06. But I totally agree with you. Now, I barely watch NASCAR and didn't watch IndyCars until this year again. I'm definitely an F1 fan for sure, but I still like the Indy 500. For me it's just refreshing every once in a while to get away from the politics and glitz and glamour of F1 and see a different kind of racing.
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T.J. Koyen
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Scott Heavin
Joined: 18 Oct 2006
Posts: 1766
Location: United States, Indiana, New Castle
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| Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 1:54 am Post subject: |
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Anyone who thinks driving an oval is easier than a road course hasn't driven an oval. I hadn't until just a couple of years ago.
One day I went over to the oval @ NCMP just to try it out. Holy crap. Gave me a new respect for oval drivers. You're constantly on the edge, the kart (or car) steps out all the time, the entire turn is a controlled slide - and everything happens really fast.
If you've never driven an oval, go find one and give it a whirl.
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Scott Heavin
Joined: 18 Oct 2006
Posts: 1766
Location: United States, Indiana, New Castle
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Greg Wright
Joined: 25 Oct 2001
Posts: 2499
Location: United States, Indiana, Clermont
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| Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 8:36 am Post subject: |
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| Scott Heavin wrote: | Anyone who thinks driving an oval is easier than a road course hasn't driven an oval. I hadn't until just a couple of years ago.
One day I went over to the oval @ NCMP just to try it out. Holy crap. Gave me a new respect for oval drivers. You're constantly on the edge, the kart (or car) steps out all the time, the entire turn is a controlled slide - and everything happens really fast.
If you've never driven an oval, go find one and give it a whirl. |
Plus 1 big time Scott, The only people that think that oval racing is easy are those that haven't truly done it. There is a skill set that the successful oval track driver has that is unique in all of motor racing.
This is coming from a guy that specialized in long track roadracing for decades but grew up on ovals.
Ovals are boring? C'mon guys how boring is it to see the leaders appear for a few seconds every minute and a half??
It's all good and I love it all but to say that oval tracking is easy and/or boring is a misconception that seems to infest most online racing forums.
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Greg Wright
Rapid Racing Inc.
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I AM INDY!!
"When in doubt, gas it. It won't help but it ends the suspense." |
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Benn Herr
Joined: 18 Jul 2001
Posts: 1580
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| Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 9:19 am Post subject: |
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It's a very fine line between over-doing a corner and doing one just right. Setting up you kart to get the best single lap time vs. race distance. Do you set up to get a big lead early and then hang on or wait for the track to come to you. Most pavement races the track gets better as the day goes on. On dirt it quite often gets better for a while and then gets worse towards the end. How do you deal with that? When there is one fast line and NO line anywhere else, how do you pass with out bashing the guy out of the way?
Oval track racing may be simple, but it is not easy.
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Benn Herr
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Tim Blaney
Joined: 18 Jul 2001
Posts: 1127
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| Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Some of you should be ashamed of yourselves for falling for this troll.... |
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Roger Beck
Joined: 16 Mar 2012
Posts: 18
Location: United States, Illinois, Chicago
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| Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Tim Blaney wrote: | | Some of you should be ashamed of yourselves for falling for this troll.... |
Can you elaborate?
Thanks.
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Roger
LO206/Bandit Y2K |
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Jon Anderson
Joined: 23 Jul 2001
Posts: 221
Location: United States, Indiana, Ft Wayne
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| Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Tim Blaney wrote: | | Some of you should be ashamed of yourselves for falling for this troll.... |
Amen Brother Tim. |
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Christopher Ragan
Joined: 23 Sep 2001
Posts: 1387
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| Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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| I didn't read every post here, but for oval racing enjoyment go to the local dirt track and watch. There are certainly more talented drivers running upfront and pretty exciting racing going on. Also the longer boring stretches are eliminated with heats, dashes and mains as normal parts of the show. |
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Roger Beck
Joined: 16 Mar 2012
Posts: 18
Location: United States, Illinois, Chicago
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 7:19 am Post subject: |
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| Christopher Ragan wrote: | | I didn't read every post here, but for oval racing enjoyment go to the local dirt track and watch. There are certainly more talented drivers running upfront and pretty exciting racing going on. Also the longer boring stretches are eliminated with heats, dashes and mains as normal parts of the show. |
I agree with you there, especially sprint cars.
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Roger
LO206/Bandit Y2K |
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Greg Wright
Joined: 25 Oct 2001
Posts: 2499
Location: United States, Indiana, Clermont
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 7:36 am Post subject: |
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But Roger, They only turn left!! 
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Greg Wright
Rapid Racing Inc.
NKN Columnist & Host "Karting News Live"
I AM INDY!!
"When in doubt, gas it. It won't help but it ends the suspense." |
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Chris Hurst
Joined: 27 Jul 2007
Posts: 570
Location: United States, California,
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 10:03 am Post subject: |
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| Christopher Ragan wrote: | | I didn't read every post here, but for oval racing enjoyment go to the local dirt track and watch. There are certainly more talented drivers running upfront and pretty exciting racing going on. Also the longer boring stretches are eliminated with heats, dashes and mains as normal parts of the show. |
I did go to some Tri-Oval race fest when I lived back east and some of the races were exciting to watch, but then again I was deprived of a sprint track / road course race for 2-3 years.
It was kind of like being on a desert island for 15 years. After a while you draw sunglasses on the rocks and talk to them. You might even go on a date with a nice coconut tree who has her life together and her branches in order, but you know it's not the same.
My only experience was taking 5 oval guys who ran about 2nd to 5th on average in a field of 25-30 guys to an indoor kart track. I beat them all by about a second on a tight twisting track. They took me to the dirt oval and I was running about a tenth behind them within 5 laps. After that my mind just kind of checked out and I started thinking about what I was going to eat for dinner. It's too repetitive for me personally.
From my experience I find mountain roads or a track like Grange with a 2 stroke kart much more challenging than the dirt oval / 4 stroke kart I got to drive.
There is definitely a skill set involved, but I would ask anyone who makes the Montoya / Rubens to F1 argument:
Who has gone from Nascar to F1 and done anything at all besides Jeff Gordons test way back when? |
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Roger Beck
Joined: 16 Mar 2012
Posts: 18
Location: United States, Illinois, Chicago
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 10:22 am Post subject: |
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| Greg Wright wrote: | | But Roger, They only turn left!! |
This is true. It would be even more exciting if they turned both directions on dirt...but then you would have to call it rallying!! 
Actually, when it comes to "challenging driving" I think the WRC could arguably be the top of the heap (I know this view point probably makes me a "troll"  ).
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Roger
LO206/Bandit Y2K |
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charles hunter
Joined: 28 Apr 2007
Posts: 732
Location: United States, California, anaheim
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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I wonder if some of you have ever been to an indy car race. On the road course you only see the cars as they pass by your little section your sitting in. After they pass your section you don't know whats up till they come by again. Thats boring to me. On the oval you can watch them battle it out all the way around the track and watch their lines and tactics and what driver knows what he's doing and who is an idiot. I will watch the 500 until my eyes fall out. Infact I have watched that race almost every day thanks to dvr. The new cars are beautiful especially the godaddy car. From the front wheels back the way the body work is it looks like a kart to me. I love racing. I would watch pigs race if there was a track by me. 
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Tim Doll
Joined: 18 Jul 2001
Posts: 2644
Location: United States, Washington,
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| Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 7:32 am Post subject: |
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There is a massive difference between racing karts in the dirt and racing a 800hp 2000lb car in the dirt.
The problem with most dirt karting today is that the karts don't have enough power - you can pretty much flat out all the time. As a result, dirt karting boils down to more engine and car setup than actual driver skill.
Change that to a big block V8 pushing around 2000 lbs, and while setup still matters, the driver ability becomes huge.
I thought this years Indy 500 was a fascinating race, but the cars are still butt ugly - I hate those rear wheel fairings.
BTW, Belle Isle was BORING!
Tim
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